Don: A Brave Faun
by Tiaqua Neptune
Summary: Tribute to Don the faun, an underrated character, who always made us laugh. SPOILERS FOR THE TYRANT'S TOMB!


**ATTENTION! DO NOT READ THIS FANFICTION UNLESS YOU HAVE REAREAD THE TYRANT'S TOMB!****Ok, got that over with! This is a oneshot on Don before he died, starting when he sabotages Caligula's ships and ending when he... dies.****I wrote this because I always felt Rick created this character just to be discarded easily. I was devastated that right when Rick starts to involve him more, bring out his inner courage, he kills him. Also R.I.P to Dakota, Jason, and Jacob, thr Twelfth Legion Fulminata will never forget you.****I also may do a oneshot about Dakota, or Jason, possibly both, so stay tuned!****Now, withiut further ado, let's get started.**

* * *

Don turned and saw Lavinia standing next to him, her manubalista firing at two pandai behind him. "Go, Don!" She shouted. "Get to the weapons room!"

Don bleated in protest, but complied with the pink-haired girl's orders when he realized more pandai were coming.

Don ran as fast as he could, until he found a door labeled, "Weapons Room" He yanked open the door and closed the door behind him.

He found a panel of controls, and searched for the trajectory.

He heard pounding footsteps approaching quickly, and Don's heart beat quickly as he adjusted the trajectory of the target.

The door burst open, and a pandos emerged, a bow in his hand. Don jumped behind a barrel, just as the pandos let an arrow fly, and as Don leaped, the arrow flew a centimeter away from his shoulder.

He bleated in alarm and hid behind the barrel. He heard the door open again and He hesitated, before turning to see who it was.

Lavinia was standing over the pandos's unconscious body. Don bleated in relief, his heartbeat slowing. "Lavinia!"

She smiled. "Did you fix the trajectory?" Don nodded. He realized Lavinia was wearing a different pair of shoes than when he last saw her and asked,

"Did you buy those? And if you did, could I have the spare change?"

Lavinia snorted. "Of course not, dummy. These are Terpshicore's shoes! I found it in Caligula's shoe closet."

"Oh." Don said. Just then, alarms blared through the speakers.

Lavinia grabbed his hand. "We have to go! The pandos and gods-know-what guards are coming!"

Don shook his head, his hooves firmly planted on the deck. "I'm staying behind, to make sure the trajectory isn't changed after the guards get here."

"Don--"

He shook his head. "I know what I have to do. Go!" He pushed Lavinia out onto the deck and closed the door behind him, ignoring Lavinia's shouts and her fists slamming on the door.

After a minute, the pounding stopped, and Don hoped the demigod had made it to safety. He noticed a countdown starting on the controls, and an automated voice,

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,"

Don closed his eyes, hoping he would be remembered as a hero.

-"five, four, three, two,"

Don took a deep breath,

"One."

He heard the sound of a missle firing, and Don's heart beat quickly, hoping he had changed the trajectory correctly, and sure enough, five seconds later, the ship imploded.

Don hit the water hard, feeling searing burns all over his body, and he opened his eyes. He tried to swim to the surface, but he felt as if there were lead weights holding him back.

He prayed to Faunus that reincarnation would be peaceful, just as he felt hands grabbing his arms, and he turned and saw two Nereids, their expressions mournful, as they pulled him to the surface.

He gasped, his lungs burning, as he inhaled. The Nereids brought him to the shore, shooting a mournful glance before diving back into the water.

He saw Lavinia about fifty feet away, and she noticed him and rushed over.

She knelt by his head and trickled some unicorn draught into his mouth. He choked it down, and saw tears falling from Lavinia's eyes.

"Hey- It-" He faltered. "It'll be okay."

Lavinia hoisted him onto her shoulders determinedly. "Let's get you back to camp, Don-" She croaked. "You're a good friend."

Don felt his heartbeat begin to slow, and his vision turned fuzzy. The burns steamed on his body agonizingly.

He felt his body being slipped onto a gurnee, and two dryads hoisted him towards the infirmary.

Don's eyes closed, and he was engulfed in darkness.

* * *

He woke and saw Lavinia leaning over him, eyes filled with tears. Apollo walked over cautiously, and the faun grimaced from the pain.

"H-hey Apollo, got any spare change?" He asked, managing a small smile.

Apollo blinked back tears. "Oh, Don. Oh, my sweet, stupid, faun." He knelt across from Lavinia, his eyes taking in the charred burns, missing fur, and ash on the faun's body.

"It's not so bad," Don rasped. "Doc gave me some stuff for the pain."

"Jarritos cherry soda." Pranjal said, confirming the faun's worst fears.

"I just... I wanted..." Don groaned.

"Save your strength." The former god pleaded.

"For what?" Don asked, managing a sort of laugh. "I wanted to ask: does it hurt? Reincarnation?"

Apollo's eyes welled up with tears. "I-I've never reincarnated, Don. When I became human, that was different, I think. But I've heard reincarnation is peaceful. Beautiful."

The nature spirits around us nodded in agreement.

Lavinia cupped her hands around Don's fingers. "You're a hero, Don. A great friend."

"Hey...cool." the faun's eyes began to cloud, having difficulty finding Lavinia's face.

"I'm scared, Lavinia."

"I know, babe."

"I hope...maybe I come back as a hemlock? That would be like...an action hero plant, right?"

Lavinia nodded, lip quivering. "Yeah. Yeah, absolutely."

"Cool... Hey, Apollo, you-you know the difference between a faun and a satyr...?" The faun's smile grew a little wider, ready to deliver his punchline.

He opened his mouth to answer his question, but before he could, his face froze, and the faint rise and falling of his chest ceased. He felt himself falling, into a dizzying realm of darkness, from which he would never awaken.

* * *

Lavinia stared in shock as Don's body collapsed. Where the faun's heart had been, was a laurel, the tree of victory.

Lavinia barely heard a dryad ask, "Did you do that…?"

Apollo shook his head. "The only difference between a faun and a satyr, is what we see in them, and what they see in themselves. Plant this tree somewhere special. Tend it and make sure it grows healthy and tall. This was Don the faun, a hero."


End file.
